Five things to know: The 152nd Open at Royal Troon 

The world's best assemble on the west coast of Scotland this week for The 152nd Open at Royal Troon. Here are your five things to know.

Troon’s timeline at golf’s original championship

The Open Championship returns to Royal Troon for the first time since 2016 as players compete for the Claret Jug and their final chance of the year to achieve Major glory.

First held at Royal Troon in 1923, the club will celebrate hosting duties for a tenth time this year, boasting a storied list of champions - six of which are American.

While the Open Championship was first staged in 1860, it was not until 1923 that the event first visited Royal Troon. Back then, more than a century ago, it was England’s Arthur Havers who won the title.

The Claret Jug would not return to the South Ayrshire venue until after the Second World War, when South African Bobby Locke won the title for the second year running.

From there, the subsequent six editions were all won by players hailing from one country. Starting with Arnold Palmer in 1962, the United States enjoyed exclusive success as Tom Weiskopf (1973), Tom Watson (1982), Mark Calcavecchia (1989), Justin Leonard (1997) and surprise package Todd Hamilton (2004) all celebrated victories. 

A place that has provided plenty of dramatic finishes, the last time Royal Troon played host it saw one of the most memorable head-to-head final round battles in Open Championship history between Henrik Stenson and Phil Mickelson, with the Swede posting a final-round 63 to win his first Major title.

The long and short of it at Royal Troon

A small number of changes await players returning to Royal Troon for The 152nd Open this year.

Extended by 195 yards in total, the course will play 7,385 yards - up from 7,190 yards in 2016 - and will feature nine new tees and the longest hole in Open Championship history.

When you think about Royal Troon’s layout, the hole that most often comes to mind is the par-three eighth. With five bunkers protecting a long but narrow green, precision is the name of the game.

Known around the world as ‘Postage Stamp’, it is the shortest hole on The Open rota, measuring 123 yards from the championship tees. Yet, this week it could play as short as 99 yards if The R&A opt to use a forward tee and a front pin position depending on the weather conditions.

The par-five sixth hole will see an increase of 22 yards, to 623 yards, which makes it three yards longer than the 620 yard 15th hole at Royal Liverpool, which had been lengthened to set a new record last year.

Harman defends

Brian Harman heads to Royal Troon as the defending champion following his dominant victory at Royal Liverpool last year to become the 2023 Champion Golfer of the Year.

Fresh from finishing tied 21st at the Genesis Scottish Open, the World Number 13 makes his way to Royal Troon for the first time. The American missed out on the 2016 contest, but he'll still have plenty of confidence that he can compete for the title once again after finishing tied sixth in 2022 before his victory last year.

Earlier this year at a media briefing, Harman said he “hated” links golf when he first played it while an amateur at the 2006 Palmer Cup, but despite missing the cut in four of his first five Opens, he has quickly found a love for the unique challenge it brings. 

It's no surprise his two recent (and best) performances in The Open have coming following a week spent at The Renaissance Club for the Genesis Scottish Open.

Even before his victory last year, he had finished in the top 20 in his prior two appearances and he comes into the final Major of 2024 on the back of a consistent campaign to date. 

With a T26 at the US PGA Championship and T21 at the U.S. Open, he'll now be hoping to continue his love affair with links golf.

Inside the field

The world's best assemble in Scotland this week, with a large number of those heading from the Genesis Scottish Open after Robert MacIntyre claimed a dramatic Rolex Series victory in front of home fans.

While there will plenty of interest in Ludvig Åberg as he tees up in The Open for the first time after holding the 54-hole lead at The Renaissance Club, there will again be inevitable focus on Rory McIlroy following his top five finish in Scotland. it was his first start since coming up agonisingly short to Bryson DeChambeau at Pinehurst last month, and the Northern Irishman said that his game is in really good shape heading into the final Major of the year.

They will be joined by the rest of their victorious European Ryder Cup teammates after Justin Rose guaranteed he will be teeing it up in his 21st Open Championship through Final Qualifying, while Genesis Scottish Open runner-up Adam Scott will make his his astonishing 93rd consecutive appearance across golf’s four major championships.

Elsewhere, Aaron Rai, Alex Noren and Richard Mansell will make their journey's to Royal Troon after earning last-minute places in the field through the Open Qualifying Series on East Lothian, while the quintet of Ewen Ferguson, Jesper Svensson, Matteo Manassero, Nacho Elvira and Laurie Canter qualified as the top five DP World Tour members not otherwise exempt in the top 20 of the Race to Dubai Rankings on completion of the 2024 BMW International Open.

Tiger Woods, who last played in The Open at Royal Troon in 2004, and McIlroy are among 19 past champions of The Open teeing it up.

The Major season this year has already seen World Number One Scottie Scheffler win the Masters Tournament for a second time, Xander Schauffele win his first Major of the year at the US PGA Championship, and DeChambeau claim his second U.S. Open victory. Will we see a clean sweep of American winners at the Majors this year?

MacIntyre leads home hopes

No Scot has won The Open since Paul Lawrie in 1999 but MacIntyre will lead the hopes of Scotland this week after becoming the first home player to claim the Genesis Scottish Open in 25 years.

MacIntyre, who finished with a final-hole birdie to edge out Scott and claim glory in front of home fans on Sunday at The Renaissance Club, said that all of his focus will switch to The Open come Thursday - once he's finished celebrating the tournament he's always wanted to win.

He's one of four Scottish hopes in the field. He is joined by fellow DP World Tour winner Ewen Ferguson, who earned his way into the field through his victory at the BMW International Open.

European Challenge Tour member Jack Mcdonald, who played in the Walker Cup in 2015, earned his place through Final Qualifying, while amateur Calum Scott qualified through the Open Amateur Series, which was introduced in 2023.